BT tells staff to shape up in anti-cancer push

Fewer pies = fewer dies

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 23rd October 2007 11:02 GMT

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BT has launched a campaign to encourage its workers to eat less crap, get some exercise, quit smoking, and go easy on the sunbathing.

It's part of a six-week anti-cancer push at the firm. BT says 2,000 current employees have survived some form of the disease, but that another five are diagnosed every week. The telco is one of the UK's largest private employers, with 108,000 staff and 176,000 pensioners on its books.

BT's chief medical officer Dr Paul Litchfield said: "Lifestyle factors have a significant role to play in the prevention and early detection of cancer so we need to help our people take responsibility for their health at home and at work."

The campaign, dubbed "Work Fit: Cancer and You", is backed by the Communication Workers Union. It'll involve roadshows worldwide, online information, and an interactive launch event.

As well as lifestyle changes, there's a focus on catching symptoms early, which is particularly vital in skin, breast, colon, and prostate cancer - some of the most common forms of the disease. ®

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